Too Close for Comfort
by GracefulMelodies
Summary: After a sleepless night saving Paris, Ladybug and Cat Noir are forced to mobilize again to face Hawk Moth's latest minion. Cat Noir is forced to make a difficult choice: his trusted partner or a dear friend? What might his decision reveal about Ladybug's possible identity? Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Ladybug and Cat Noir were exhausted. Fires had broken out in an apartment building, and had spread quickly in the dense city. They had been at it for several hours now, whisking back and forth, in and out of buildings. As the fire fighters battled the blaze, they maneuvered about, ensuring everyone was out of harm's way, often just in the nick of time. It had been several hours; luckily, it was nearly 2 a.m. and the fires were burning in an area away from both of their homes. Gabriel Agreste and the Dupain-Cheng's were fast asleep. Ladybug thought about how lucky the timing was, however unfortunate the event. It isn't so hard "disappearing" to fight a villain for a short time, but several hours would have been sure to raise suspicions. Fortunately, simply whisking about didn't take much from the kwamis, allowing them to say in their superhero forms much longer than if they had needed to use Lucky Charm or Cataclysm. Finally, the blaze was controlled, and no one had been seriously hurt, although many homes were destroyed. Emergency vehicle lights bathed the street in a golden glow, mirrored in thousands of water puddles now accumulated on the pavement. Ladybug was sitting cross-legged on the ground, while her counterpart slumped against a streetlight.

"That's about all the fun I can handle for one night. It's awful what happened to all those people. At least no one was hurt" she remarked.

"You know milady, I've been wanting to share a candlelit Parisian evening with you for a while, although this isn't exactly what I had in mind" Cat Noir quipped back.

"No offense Kitty, but I'm glad it's over. There's only so many fire puns one bug can handle" she replied.

He responded quickly, "Don't worry milady, you were still the hottest thing in Paris tonight!"

Ladybug scoffed and laboriously rose to her feet. It was time for her to go. She had been lucky to be out this long. She might be missed soon.

"See you next time, Kitty Cat!" she yelled at she flicked her yo-yo; in an instant, she vaulted off into the dark.

Cat Noir stood silently and watched her disappear into the night. _There may be millions of girls out there,_ he thought, _but I bet none are as perfect as her._ He smirked to himself. _If only I could know who she really was._ He clicked his staff and launched up to the rooftops. Another good days (or nights) work was done.

Marinette eased in through the hatch in her bedroom roof and plopped gently onto the floor. She wished to fall into bed, but she knew her soot covered face and smoke-laced hair would raise suspicions. She trudged to the bathroom and showered, careful to be quiet as possible. She donned her pajamas and wrapped her dark hair in a towel.

"I can't tell you how great these clean clothes feel!" she remarked to Tikki. She was just about to slide into bed when her door creaked open. On the other side stood her mother, half asleep.

"Sweetie, is everything alright?" she asked through a yawn.

"Oh, um, yes, I'm fine Mom!" Marinette stammered in reply.

Her mother gazed at her through half open, glassy eyes. "Have you been up this whole time? Why are you showering?"

Marinette grinned awkwardly. "I woke up and didn't feel well, so I thought I'd take a shower. I feel much better now!" she remarked.

Marinette's mother, clearly wanting to return to the solace of sleep, seemed satisfied with this response. "Ok dear, I hope you get feeling better." she slurred, stifling another yawn. "See you in the morning!"

"Good night mom!" Marinette called in reply.

She waited for her mother to close the door. "Tikki, I love being Ladybug, but I hate how I have to lie all the time. I know it's for a good cause, but I still feel guilty."

Tikki looked at Marinette with understanding eyes. "I know Marinette, but I don't know any other way. The fact that it bothers you just shows what an honest person you are!"

Marinette shrugged, unconvinced. "Yeah I guess so. Good night Tikki." Tikki responded, but Marinette didn't even hear. By the time her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.

Morning came much too soon. Marinette blinked with tired eyes at the intrusive light of morning. She felt as if she had just fallen asleep, robbed of her rest. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the floor. She knew she should move, but motivation eluded her. Eventually, she arose and trudged through her morning routine as she prepared for school. Suddenly her blood ran cold.

She had a test today.

In the excitement of last night, she had completely forgotten about it, not that she would have had time to study anyway, around all of the rescuing. Marinette grunted with frustration. She loathed poor test grades, especially when it was because she didn't prepare. _It's too late now,_ she thought dejectedly. With that, she was off to school.

Adrien had fared somewhat better. He had become accustomed to late nights, occasionally binging on nocturnal video game sprees with his online friends. However, he wasn't used to late nights _with_ physical demand, and he was indeed tired as well. He simply didn't show it as badly. He rounded a corner to see Marinette, her forehead leaning against the locker, her eyes closed.

"Hey Marinette!" he greeted.

Marinette's eyes shot open as her cheeks reddened. "Hey Adrien!" she responded, much more energetically than she felt. "I was just seeing if, um, looking for, uh, something" she stammered awkwardly.

"Late night, huh?" he asked with a grin. She smiled sheepishly, knowing her bluff had been called.

"Yeah, I didn't sleep much last night" she said.

Adrien replied, "I didn't either; video games" he shrugged. "That was some crazy fire last night, huh? Hey, we better get going. Care to walk with me?"

Marinette's cheeks reddened again, a not-uncommon occurrence with her. "Sure, that would be great!" she grinned. "Let me grab my books." She opened her locker, and books streamed out. "Oh my!" she exclaimed. She bent down and attempted to quickly pick them up, tingling with embarrassment.

Suddenly, Nino turned the corner, walking briskly toward Adrien. He failed to see Marinette crouched and grabbing books, and tripped over her. He feel directly into Adrien's legs, bringing him down on both of them. His nose smacked the back of Marinette's head.

"Oh my gosh! Adrien are you okay!" she asked hurriedly.

Nino rolled his eyes as he stood; it was no surprise that Marinette was only concerned about Adrien. "Don't worry, I'm fine!" he quipped sarcastically. Marinette took no notice.

Adrien rose to his feet. "Yeah, I'm okay. I hit my face on the back of your head, Marinette. You have a hard head!" He chuckled and rubbed his nose, continuing, "It'll be fine. No big deal. If it makes you feel better, your hair smells amazing!"

Marinette blushed, yet again. "Thanks. New shampoo!"

The friends strolled into class to numerous conversations of the previous night's fire.

"I heard a bunch of apartments were destroyed. Total loss!" quipped Rose.

"Yeah, it was crazy!" added Ivan.

"It's a good thing Ladybug and Cat Noir were there." offered another. Marinette grinned to herself. _If only they knew,_ she thought.

Ms. Bustier strolled in. "I got a close up view of the fire last night" she said. "It nearly reached our apartment building! I knew several people who lost their homes and possessions last night. Some even were personally saved by Ladybug or Cat Noir. Often just in the nick of time."

The students began chattering busily about Paris' young heroes.

"I heard Ladybug and Cat Noir were there for two and a half hours!" Alya exclaimed. "That's the longest anyone has ever seen them in one place! And, with all of the cameras and news crews around, they are supposed to have a lot of good pictures and footage! Maybe we'll finally get to figure out who they are."

Marinette shuddered. The thought of cameras and news crews focused on her made her uneasy. She was already amazed no one had figured her out yet. It wasn't as if that small mask well hid her face and hair. The last thing she wanted was more scrutiny.

Adrien felt differently. He knew that the identities of the chosen holders of the Miraculous must remain a secret, but he longed to know who Ladybug was. He loved spending time with her as they did what they do, but he wished they could meet more when there wasn't some sort of crisis threatening. He gazed around. Adrien's eyes caught Marinette's looking his way. He knew the poor girl was very sweet on him. He thought she was great; kind, genuine, and caring. She was a wonderful friend and person on all accounts, and was certainly someone deserving of his affection. He wasn't so sure he didn't feel something at least for her, although he couldn't describe what. There was also the slight pang of guilt; he thought himself as Ladybug's guy, whether she had accepted it yet or not. Still, Marinette was, if nothing else, a great person and friend. He gave her a little wave. Predictably, she blushed.

Marinette's joy was short lived. Ms. Bustier began walking around handing out the test. She hung her head in her hands, her elbows on the desk, nearly dozing off in the process.

 _This is going to go poorly,_ she thought to herself.

Several miles away, another teenager was not attending school. Claude's family's apartment had been one of many victimized by the fire. While no one was hurt, the apartment and its contents were completely destroyed. Claude sat on his grandfather's couch, upon which he had slept the night before. The first many hours after the blaze were characterized by abject disbelief, but that disbelief had devolved into bitterness, followed by spiteful rage. He couldn't understand why his family had to endure this struggle. His father, who had always worked so hard, now had to start over. His mother now had one small box of heirlooms, the only remnant of possessions and memories. _Why did others get to continue with their lives as if a tragedy had not just struck,_ he thought to himself angrily. Claude ran his tongue over a silver tooth which he had gotten a few years ago after having one of his teeth knocked out in a bicycle accident. It was the only thing of value he still had, other than the clothes on his back.

Claude opened his mouth for a yawn, closing his eyes and not seeing the akuma fluttering towards him. Suddenly, he heard in his mind, and quite clearly, a sinister voice.

"Yes, a young man taken by rage, bitterness, and jealousy. Watching your parents suffer is not something anyone should have to endure. Why should everyone else have when you have not? Fire took from you, so I will give you the power to use fire to take from others." He knew what was happening; Hawk Moth and his akumas were well known to everyone by now. However, he was powerless to stop it; the anger and bitterness were far too strong.

Marinette rose slowly from her chair, dejected. The test had been as bad as she feared, if not worse. Her mind had been mush, ruined by the lack of sleep. She headed to the hallway, head turned to the ground, her characteristic optimistic smile replaced by a frown. Alya ran up to her.

"Hey girl, how did you do on your test?" she asked.

Marinette's unpleasant glare was all the answer she needed. Alya tried to comfort her friend.

"Come on girl, you know you did great. You always do better than me. If you bombed it, I'm in real trouble!" she quipped.

Marinette gave Alya a tired smile. She wasn't convinced, but she appreciated the effort nonetheless. Soon, Adrien, Nino, Ivan, Mylene, and Kim joined them. The group began conversing about their impressions of the test. Everyone tried to comfort Marinette, to no avail.

"Come on, Marinette. I'm sure you did better than any of us" said Kim.

"You always beat me on tests. You're probably one of those irritating people that stress about a test and get a better grade than everyone, aren't you?" Nino added.

The reinforcement continued as several of Marinette's friends attempted to offer support.

Adrien walked up and put his hand on Marinette's shoulder, causing her to melt. "You're a great student, Marinette. I know you have nothing to worry about."

While not encouraged about her test grade, Adrien's gesture was sufficient to distract her from it. The group walked in to the next class and took their seats, still chatting away. Suddenly, a great explosion was heard in the hallway, followed by the sound of falling debris. Soon after was a distant cackle. Fire alarms began bellowing.

"What was that?" exclaimed Alya with concern in her voice.

Smoke began to pour into the room from the doorway, and additional explosions were heard. Students and teachers ran screaming for the doors. Marinette immediately began looking for a way to bail, so she might transform. She spotted a doorway in the back of the classroom, but just as she began to move, she was jerked in the other direction by Alya.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" yelled Adrian. He ran to the door and motioned the others to follow. Marinette had no choice. The crew burst into the hallway and was greeted by a thick wall of smoke. They began quickly but cautiously navigating the smoky hallway to the front exit. Alya let go of Marinette, and she saw her chance. Obscured by the smoke, she ducked away and traced her way back to the bathroom. The others continued on, thinking she was right behind.

"Tikki, it's time to transform. Spots on!" she said, coughing through the smoke.

Ladybug stayed low, and began working her way down the hallway. She needed to get out of the building so she could see what exactly was going on. As she moved, she saw a stream of sunlight piercing the smoke, coming through the ruptured ceiling."That's it!" she exclaimed, as she leapt upwards to the roof. As she landed lightly on the roof, she looked all around. The sight horrified her. Columns of smoke were rising from all over the city. There was no rhyme or reason to the pattern. It was as if someone was setting fires all over town! Suddenly, it dawned on her.

"This has to be another akumatized victim!" Ladybug exclaimed. She scanned around at the damage; she didn't even know where to begin. She decided her friends would be as good a place as any. She swung down towards the front of the school to check on them. She distantly saw them congregated in the front.

Ms. Bustier was taking role to make sure everyone was there. Everyone was already in a panic. Marinette was missing. Unfortunately, she couldn't offer any clues as to her whereabouts. A giant fireball struck her in the side and sent her flying through the air.

Adrien was coughing furiously, trying to clear the smoke from his lungs. He grunted weakly and raised his hand when Ms. Bustier called his name.

"Marinette? Marinette, are you here? Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Has anyone seen Marinette?" Ms. Bustier asked fervently.

"She left the classroom with us" Alya replied. "I know she was with us."

Nino added "Yeah, she was definitely with us, wasn't she Adrien?"

Adrien quickly looked around. He was pretty sure that Marinette had been with him, but with the excitement and the smoke, he had no way of knowing that she made it out. If she wasn't here, that meant she was trapped inside the burning school building. He began to panic, as did everyone else.

"Mr. Damocles, I think we have a student inside!" yelled Ms. Bustier to her superior.

"Who?! Who are you missing?!" he asked as he grabbed her shoulders.

The teacher was beginning to tear up. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. No one saw her come out. She's still in there!"

Adrien looked back at the building. He knew Cat Noir was the man for the job, but he had to get away to become Cat Noir. He couldn't do that, as presently there was nowhere to go, and it might send his teacher in classmates into further panic if he disappeared. He had seen the smoke rising all around Paris and knew that Ladybug was surely already out there dealing with whatever it was that was happening, and she probably needed help. Still he couldn't stop thinking of Marinette. She probably could be saved. She probably was just disoriented, he figured. Adrien paced back and forth, torn. Suddenly, he couldn't stand it any longer. He tore off towards the smoking building.

"Adrien! Dude what are you doing!?" yelled Nino.

"I have to go look for Marinette! She's in trouble!" Adrien replied, without stopping.

Ms. Bustier called out "No Adrien! Don't go in there!" Adrien kept running. He darted through the open doors and into the smoke.

Ladybug crashed to the ground. She had no idea what just happened, but she knew it felt like being hit with a giant hammer. She slowly rose to her feet.

"Ah, Ladybug. Here, just as expected. I need something from you. Why don't you just be a doll and give it to me, and I can spare you the trouble".

Ladybug looked upward. Floating above her, silhouetted in the sun, was a mysterious figure. He was clutching what appeared to be a fireball, and his hair waved and licked like flames as well. She knew this was the culprit.

"I'm guessing you're doing the dirty work for Hawk Moth?" she questioned, with attitude in her voice.

"I'm working for me, Ladybug. You can call me Arson. Hawk Moth just made me a little deal to get me what I wanted. Now you'll all know what it's like to lose everything to fire!" he replied.

This must be a victim of the fire, she thought. Hawk Moth always preyed on negative emotions, and what better way to feel negative emotions than to lose your home in a fire? Ladybug wasted no time; she flung her yo-yo at the villain, but he dodged it and blasted her with another fireball. The heat was intense but very brief. However, being struck by one was like being hit with the force of a car. She darted upright again, only to be hit with a follow on shot. Arson was fast, and she was still tired. Her Ladybug transformation boosted her somewhat, but she was feeling the effects nonetheless. She darted up and behind a building's chimney to gain her composure. Ladybug glanced back down to Arson, who was floating by slowly, calling to her.

"That's fine, Ladybug. Go ahead and hide. I'll just light us a few candles while I wait!" He blasted a nearby building with fire, knocking a hole in the side and setting it ablaze.

"Where's your little pussy cat, Ladybug. Is he scared to fight?" he taunted. Ladybug was secretly wondering the same thing. Where was Cat Noir?

Adrien was trying to sort his way through the smoky school, but was disoriented by the thick haze. He needed help.

"Plagg, claws out!" he yelled. Unfortunately, Cat Noir was only slightly better equipped to handle the smoke and heat. He darted in out and out of every single room, searching for Marinette. Still, he found no trace of her. He combed every nook and cranny he could, but to no avail. Only two rooms eluded him; they were totally engulfed. Even if he could go in, there wouldn't be much to find by now. The thought made him shudder. He repeated his search again, still with no sign of Marinette.

"Cat Noir, where are you? I need your help!" It was Ladybug calling him with her device.

"I'll be there soon. I have to help someone. I'm sorry!" he replied.

"Ok, just hurry!" she called back, and disappeared.

He knew Ladybug could handle herself for a bit. Marinette, however, could not. He was beginning to lose hope. He had another problem; if he didn't come back out soon, everyone would be convinced both of them were lost. He had to get back out and get some fresh air, but as Adrien, not as Cat Noir. Suddenly, there was crackling and a huge crash as walls and roof collapsed near where he stood. He was trapped, and flames were closing in. He knew there was only one way out.

"Cataclysm!" he yelled. He rested his hand on the largest chuck of block wall obstructing his path, and it crumbled before him. He continued, navigating to the door. It took him several minutes, but finally, he glimpsed the door. He transformed back, and struggled out the door. He was still fighting fatigue from the night before, and now that was coupled with the effort he had just exerted, with smoke inhalation to boot. He moved slowly, head turned down, coughing heavily. He looked up to see his friends moving toward him. Behind them stood Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. Even with everything going on, with all of the roadblocks and emergency vehicles and damage, they had still found a way to get to the school when they heard there was a problem. Now they were looking to him for salvation, and he couldn't deliver.

"Adrien, where is she?" asked Alya. He couldn't answer. He just shook his head as he looked at the ground. Soon, he regained some composure and clarified. "I didn't find her. I don't know what happened". Marinette's mother buried her face into her husband's body as he tightened his grip around her.

Adrien knew Ladybug needed him, but he had to use his Cataclysm to get out of the building. Unfortunately his bag, along with an odorous wedge of Camembert, was still in the school and likely ashes by now. He had no way to get Plagg ready for another bout, and more so, didn't know how to get away from this crowd. _Time to get desperate,_ he thought to himself. He took off down the street.  
"Adrien, where are you going?!" Ms. Bustier and several other called out.

"I've got to get home!" he exclaimed. He knew if he got home, and his father knew he was safe, he could work from there. Sneaking out of his house unnoticed was no challenge. But first, if he could find it, he needed Camembert.

"I think he's snapped over Marinette" offered Nino. They all stared, confused, as Adrien ran down the street.

Ladybug couldn't take much more of this. She didn't know what Cat Noir was doing that was taking so long, but she trusted that her partner was doing something important. Still, she was starting to suffer. She was exhausted, and didn't know how long she would hold out. She just wanted to stop, to rest, to lie down. The fight with Arson had resorted to guerilla warfare. She would hid among the rooftops, and he would prowl for her. She would take the occasional unsuccessful shot at him, and would disappear again. He was just too strong and quick and she too tired to face him constantly. Her Lucky Charm was even out of the question; she might need Cat Noir to use whatever it gave her, and he still wasn't here. She had to put space between them, if just for a short while. He would ravage the city, but there was no choice. Ladybug vaulted back towards the school. She soared overhead, and as she neared the building, she could see the small crowd out front, along with-her parents? Realization struck her. She had never been seen leaving the building! Surely they did a roll call, as was rehearsed every fire drill. They thought she was missing! A fire truck was out front as well. They were going to be looking for her!

"How could I have been so stupid?" she questioned herself with a palm to the forehead. There was only one way to fix this. Walking up as Ladybug to say that Marinette was safe would be too risky; clearly her parents knew she never made it home or they wouldn't have come. It could also expose her identity as Ladybug. No, there was only one thing to do. She jumped through an open window and looked around. She had to find a room that wasn't on fire, and that the firefighters could access quickly. She didn't want to put anyone in more danger than needed. She settled for the bathroom in which she originally transformed. "Spots off" she said quietly. Tikki appeared before her.

"What are you doing Marinette? Arson and Cat Noir are still out there!" she asked fervently.

"I know Tikki, but I made a mistake and I have to fix it. They think I'm trapped in here, so they have to find me. Hide, quickly!" Marinette responded. She hid her kwami in her jacket, and lied down in the middle of the floor. The room was full of smoke, and it was getting thicker by the second. The heat was intense.

"I hope they don't waste any time" she said out loud to herself.

Adrien ran down the road in a panic. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to get Plagg battle ready to do whatever it was. Several buildings were smoking or burning. The firemen only seemed to be concerned with buildings in which people may be trapped. There were just too many fires to worry about extinguishing them now. Still, many buildings were untouched, and soon he saw what he needed. A small store stood among several buildings, as of yet untouched. He ran up and tried the door, but it was locked. Likely, the owner had closed up shop and fled in the face of the ongoing catastrophe. He found a brick, still warm from the burning building from which it came and launched it through the window. The glass shattered, and he gingerly crept inside.

"Adrien, what are you doing? You're stealing?!" asked Plagg accusingly.

"I know Plagg, there is nothing else I can do. Ah, here, take this!" Adrien handed Plagg a piece of Camembert from a display of cheeses.

His kwami objected "I can't eat this! It's stolen goods!"

"Plagg, this is an emergency. Eat it and eat it fast" Adrien retorted. Plagg looked at him inquisitively for a moment and saw the desperation on his face. He swallowed hard and gulped the food down.

"Are you ready Plagg?" Adrien asked.

"Ready" he responded.

Just as he prepared to command his transformation, a beam of light flashed across his face. A figure stood on the stairs, although Adrien couldn't quite make what due to the blinding light.

"So you think you'll take advantage and rob me eh?!" a man's voice roared. He dashed toward Adrien, who quickly darted out the window. The man wasn't far behind.

"Looter! You think you can steal from me! I saw you, and I'm going to have you arrested!" he screamed.

"Yeah, like the police have time for that" joked Plagg.

"Hush, Plagg!" Adrien sprinted away and lost him. He rounded the corner of a building and Plagg appeared again. "What now?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I'll figure it out. Plagg, claws out!" he yelled. Now, he had a decision to make: Marinette, or Ladybug?


	2. Chapter 2

As her friends and parents watched nervously, the firemen began their preparations for entering the smoky school building. They questioned Nino, Alya, and the others, trying to get a sense of where Marinette could be. A news crew had even arrived. With all the mayhem going on, a trapped teen in a burning school was apparently worth the attention. Sabine Dupain-Cheng wasn't fond of their presence; her daughter's predicament was not some macabre spectator sport. The senior fireman motioned to Mr. Damocles, who walked over to them. The fireman leaned in close to shield his words against any eavesdroppers.

"Sir, I need to caution you. If we find this girl, please be aware that she's been inside the building for some time now, and it is nearly filled with smoke."

Mr. Damocles didn't need further explanation. He was being told to not have false hope. He walked back over to the crowd, wrapping his arms around Ms. Bustier and Rose, who were quite visibly shaken. They all watched as the firemen made their entrance.

Marinette needed to get out now. It was stiflingly hot and the smoke was relentless. She turned her face to the floor to find the last modicum of fresh air, but even here the smoke lingered. Her throat and lungs burned, and it was becoming hard to think. She would succumb to the haze soon if they didn't get in fast enough. She considered that she may have made a mistake, one that she may have to transform to escape. Marinette tightened her jacket around her face in a futile attempt to filter the smoke. She knew Tikki couldn't handle much more of this either. It was time to go.

She stood up wobbly and started to run to the door, when suddenly a beam of light pierced the darkness. _Arson's found me and he's going to finish me off,_ she thought in her nearly delirious state. Then, she heard a radio crackle.

"Signs of structural failure. Everyone watch yourself."

The Firemen!

"In here!" she yelled, as she coughed and hacked. She heard the firemen respond.

"Did you hear that? Follow me, quick!" one said to another.

Marinette hit the floor again, desperately seeking some of that slightly less acrid air. Two bulky silhouettes rounded the corner.

"All units be advised, we have found the girl" one called. The other scoped her up quickly and hurriedly and unceremoniously smashed a mask on to her face. Finally, some pure, fresh oxygen.

Marinette relaxed, sagging like a rag doll in the man's arms. She could hardly breathe and was exhausted. She took those few precious moments of relaxation to try and recover as much as she could. Finally, they broke into the sunlight to cheers of joy. Marinette's parents and friends attempted to rush them, but were politely directed back by other firemen. The two firemen with Marinette hustled off to a waiting ambulance. She opened her eyes and looked around. She saw her parents and friends behind them. Where were they going? She turned her head and saw the waiting ambulance.

"Wait, no, I'm okay!" she stuttered among several coughs. "Really, I don't need that."

"Young lady, you were in that building for a long time. You're lucky to be alive at all. Let the hospital check you over" the fireman insisted.

Marinette continued her objections, to no use. The fireman delivered her to the ambulance and her parents were motioned over to join her. Soon, her friends did as well, much to the busy paramedic's dissatisfaction. They all clamored around her. She recounted a story of how she became disoriented and separated from the group as they fled. She told of how she had wandered smoky halls, eventually giving up and hiding in the bathroom, calling for help. Suddenly, Chloe interjected.

"Leave it to Marinette to get lost. Only she could get so lost that Adrien couldn't even find her. Typical Marinette." She looked around to glares from the bystanders, at which point she added, "But I'm glad you're ok or whatever."

Her blood ran cold. "Adrien?" she asked. She suddenly noticed he wasn't there. How could she miss that?

"Yeah" Rose said. "He ran in the building to find you when we found out you were still inside."

Marinette was shocked. Adrien had risked his life to save her? "Where is he now?" she inquired.

Her mother answered, "For some reason, he ran off when he came out without you. We have no idea why. He said he had to get home."

Everyone continued chattering on, but Marinette didn't hear. She was lost in thought about Adrien's heroic gesture, but was also completely confused about his running off. That didn't seem like Adrien. She felt terrible that he had done something so risky for her when she wasn't even there. Her thought was interrupted by the paramedic.

"Miss, please lie down. We are transporting you to the hospital now" she said.

"No, wait! I'm fine, I promise. I'd just rather stay with my parents, if you don't mind" Marinette stammered.

"I'm sorry miss, but you were exposed to lots of smoke for quite some time. You needed to be thoroughly checked out. There could be significant damage" the paramedic replied sternly but kindly.

Marinette turned her pleading to her mother. Ms. Dupain-Cheng advised that, while she'd love Marinette to stay with her, she was concerned about her and wanted her to go. "I'll be right over there and with you the whole time" she advised gently.

Marinette continued to protest, but it was futile. She was shepherded into the ambulance and whisked away.

Cat Noir leapt from rooftop to rooftop. This mode of transportation suited him much better. Unfortunately, it was hard to enjoy it. He was distracted, worrying about Marinette, and now was doubly concerned; since transforming, he hadn't been able to contact Ladybug. He didn't know which way to turn. He wasn't even sure where to find Ladybug, so he figured he would take the path of least resistance. He headed for Francois Dupont.

He touched down to a surprising sight. Where he expected the previous crown of nervous onlookers, he only found a few scattered firemen busily dousing a much diminished flame.

"What's going on? Isn't there a girl here who was trapped?" he asked urgently.

"They found her. She's on her way the hospital now. That girl's as lucky as they come" a nearby firemen replied as he directed the others about.

"Was she okay? Will she make it?!" he demanded.

The fireman replied happily, "She was far better than we expected. She was even conscious when they found her. I have no idea how she did it."

The fireman continued on, but Cat Noir wasn't listening. He was staring at the ground, thoroughly confused. He had been through that school more times than he could count. He had scoured every nook and cranny he could reach, and knew there was no point looking in those he couldn't. She had not been there. He snapped back to reality, turning back to the fireman, who was still talking. "Where was she? I mean, where in the school did they find her?"

"In a bathroom. She wasn't even too far from the front door." He continued on a lengthy, detailed explanation of the event, but Cat Noir had tuned him out again. _I know that bathroom. I know she wasn't there,_ he thought. It just didn't make any sense. However, it answered a vital question. Marinette was safe. It was time to find Ladybug, and whatever it was that was trying to burn down Paris.

"There he is! Look out!" someone yelled.

Cat Noir followed the outstretched finger of the yelling fireman. A strange form was flying through the air, smoke trailing behind him. He was headed straight for them! He swooped low and strafed the ground with a stream of flame. Everyone, included Cat Noir, leapt to safety.

"I knew I'd find you, you dirty cat!" he yelled, as he circled back around.

Cat Noir leapt upwards, with his own fire in his eyes. Marinette may be safe now, but he didn't know what this villain had done with Ladybug. He wouldn't let it go without revenge.

The ambulance bumped down a cobblestone street, snaking its way between emergency vehicles and crowds of displaced Parisians. Apparently, this particular street had been hit by Arson particularly hard. The vehicle came to a stop, and Marinette heard the driver ask what was going on, followed by a muffled, unintelligible response. The ambulance remained stopped. She strained to listen.

"What is going on there?"

"It is a bad one. Lots of smoke inhalation, and a couple burns. Every truck is on its way with a patient. We're waiting for one to return. We're treating as much as we can here."

"Do you need anything?"

"We need help."

Marinette had heard enough. She rose from the gurney and spoke loudly enough to be heard. "You know, I feel pretty good. You could let me go and help these other people who need it." There was a long pause, and a very discernable sigh. The paramedic driving turned around.

"Miss, I cannot just eject a patient from the vehicle. I could get in a lot of trouble. I mean, it's not like you're refusing treatment…" Marinette detected a sly conniving tone in her voice.

"Oh well, maybe I am!" she retorted. She was pretty sure she had essentially tried that before they left the school, but clearly this new situation had changed the paramedic's mind. She heard no response, but the sound of the driver door, followed by silence. Suddenly, the rear doors opened. There stood the paramedic. It had actually worked! She decided not to waste any time; she had to get out of there before the paramedic changed her mind. She briskly exited the ambulance. "May I use your phone? I need to tell my mom that I'm not going to make it to the hospital.  
"Sure, just hurry please. I'll be over there checking these folks out" the paramedic responded.

"Thanks!" Marinette responded. She quickly dialed her mother, and told her about the paramedic letting her go to help the others. "I'm going to go see Adrien. I heard he was really upset about me, and I just want to let him know I'm okay. I promise I come home right after." Her mother had protested staunchly, insisting she come home. Paris was still chaos and the villain at large, her mother cautioned.

"I'm sure his driver will give me a ride home. It's safer to go there and get ride than to walk the entire way home anyway!" Marinette replied. It sounded convincing anyway; as if she'd actually ask Adrien for a ride. This last point was enough to push her mother over the edge. It _would_ be much quicker to go to Adrien's, and therefore, safer. Besides, it was heard to argue with Marinette when she was trying to do something to help someone.

"Hurry home, please. It's still not safe out there" she cautioned.

Marinette bid her mother goodbye and quickly returned the phone.

She would have loved to go see Adrien, but first, she had some business to attend to. She hustled to a secluded corner.

"Tikki, spots on!"

There was one good thing about finding Arson; while he was busy trying to blast Cat Noir into oblivion, at least he wasn't terrorizing Paris. Cat Noir jostled back and forth with the villain, taking shots and giving a few in return. He didn't know how much good he would do. He didn't know where the akuma was, and if he did, he couldn't purify it. He was worried about Ladybug. Had Arson done something to her? He wasn't sure; he would have expected some sort of taunt had Arson gotten rid of her. He was strangely silent on the matter. Cat Noir assumed that to be good news.  
"It's time to put a damper on this party" he quipped. The puns weren't as satisfying without Ladybug here to scoff at them.

"That one was pretty bad, even for you Cat Noir" an electronic voice quipped in his ear.

Ladybug! Cat Noir's fatigue melted away, and a grin painted his face. Now, it was time to get down to business.

Ladybug swung down from out of nowhere, barreling into an unsuspecting Arson, who was sent crashing into a nearby building.

"I trust that you were saying all of Paris while you were gone, milady?" Cat Noir asked.

Ladybug responded slyly, "I had a few slight issues to attend to. But I'm here now. Where's his akuma?"

Cat Noir shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't even know what to do to him. Every time I get close, he just blasts me with a fireball."  
"I guess we'll have to get creative" she replied.

Arson cut their conversation short with another stream of napalm between them. The heroes jumped with acrobatic backflips away from each other and the flame. Together again, everything just went better. Cat Noir felt like his battery was fully recharged, and now he and Ladybug were two parts of the same machine functioning perfectly. They repeatedly battered Arson, and expertly dodged his flaming attacks. Still, they couldn't win until they located the elusive akuma. Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around the villain and Cat Noir delivered a blistering blow with his baton. The duo vaulted back and forth, toying with the combustible rogue. He was getting angry, the flames on his head growing larger and spreading down his arms. He continued launching fireballs, but with significantly less accuracy.

"Arson, don't let your anger get the best of you. We had a deal. I _will_ take your powers away if you don't satisfy your end of the deal" Hawk Moth vocalized to Arson.

"I've got it under control, Hawk Moth. Don't worry about it" he retorted angrily. He launched a fearsome volley at the duo, sending them into hasty retreat and laying waste to a building and several vehicles. Still, he failed to connect.

Cat Noir looked over to his partner. "I think now is as good a time as ever, Bugaboo" he said with a grin.

Ladybug glared at Cat Noir, but he could detect the faintest grin beneath it. "Call me that again, and I'll use it on you, kitty cat" she said. She tossed her yo-yo aloft and called on her Lucky Charm, and a fire extinguisher was delivered.

"That seems rather to the point, even for you Milady" Cat Noir remarked, continuing, "No point in overthinking this one."  
"Yeah, I guess so" she replied. She peered around for clues. Arson, speeding toward them for yet another assault, was the only clue. She launched the extinguisher to Cat Noir, yelling, "Do it!"

"I'll cool this guy off!" he yelled, and chuckled mischievously when he heard her groan at his perfectly timed pun. He levelled the nozzle directly at Arson, who was conjuring up yet another handheld pyre. When he was close enough, and just before the villain delivered the fireball to his face, he squeezed the valve and drenched the scorching villain in a torrent of white foam. Arson ground to a halt, and he stared at Cat Noir, as Cat Noir and Ladybug stared in return. Wisps of white smoke and steam wafted off of him, as with a doused camp fire. For what seemed like an eternity, the three stood staring at each other in confusion. Soon, Arson began to laugh quietly, his arms to his side. Ladybug and Cat Noir looked at each other confused, then back to Arson. The villain flung his arms outward and reignited, his quite laugh evolving into a loud, triumphant, evil cackle. While the duo couldn't hear it, Hawk Moth was cackling in concert as he viewed the spectacle.  
"Looks like you're out of ideas, eh wonder twins?!" he snorted through his laughter. Ladybug and Cat Noir just stared with disbelief. Lucky Charm had never failed them before.

Ladybug felt the cold wash of panic grip her. She suddenly had no idea what to do. Her gaze averted to Cat Noir, mouth-agape, as he stared at Arson. It had only been a moment, but it felt like an hour. Any delay, any loss of momentum was dangerous in such a battle. She struggled to regain control, to figure out what to do next. She turned her head back to Arson, just in time to see his projectile before it struck her.

Cat Noir stared at Arson. The blast from the extinguisher had no effect. Never before had Ladybug's Lucky Charm delivered an item that didn't work. He, like she, was completely taken aback. His gaze was locked on Arson and his mind was blank. He watched the whole scene, seemingly in slow motion. Arson stood before them, a triumphant smile painted across his face. Cat Noir saw his arms come to his chest, as if holding an invisible ball. Arson flung his arms forward, and another fireball simultaneously appeared and catapulted off toward Ladybug. It happened in an instant; Cat Noir only had time to outstretch his arm in a futile warning attempt, but in his eyes, it seemed to be slow motion. His eyes followed the glowing orb until it struck a shocked Ladybug. He watched as she was propelled backward, toppling heels-over-head, until she crashed into the ground, crumpling into a heap.

"No!" Cat Noir exclaimed violently as he reached out. His gaze immediately went to Arson, and his expression had changed from horror to fervent, unbridled anger. In his fury, he launched the extinguisher which he still held in his hand. The object struck an unprepared Arson in the face, sending him reeling backwards to the ground. His hands went immediately to his face and his flames flashed out as he tumbled. A tiny metallic object skidded off away from him, glinting in the light of the flames.

"My mouth!" Arson exclaimed painfully. An akuma materialized from the silver tooth and fluttered skyward.

Cat Noir ignored the villain and ran to Ladybug, who while still laying on the ground, had lifted herself slightly to see.

"Ladybug, are you okay?" He quickly but gently grabbed her and hoisted her up. He moved to throw his arms around her, but she held out her arm and placed a finger on his mouth.

"Just a second, Kitty. There is something I have to do first." She walked toward the prostrate villain and calmly unfurled her yo-yo. She captured the wayward akuma. "No more evil doing for you, little akuma" she said, setting the now white butterfly free. She then dropped to a knee.

Cat Noir rushed to her side and helped her up. "Milady, are you okay?" he worriedly. The concern on his face was palatable.

Ladybug was standing bent over, with her hands on her hips, looking at the ground. She looked up and said, "Yes, I'm okay. I'm not going to pretend like that didn't hurt." She had forgotten it in the excitement, but now the fatigue came flooding back in a heavily. Ladybug picked up the extinguisher and flung it skyward, and everything Arson had destroyed was set right. The soot, ash, and smokiness that covered them all was washed away.

Cat Noir was relieved. He was concerned for his partner, but was glad she was okay. He looked at her questioningly. "Wait, what just happened?"

Ladybug replied, "Well, when you hit Arson with that extinguisher, you knocked one of his teeth out. I didn't get a good look at it, but I think it was metallic. As far as I can tell, the akuma must have landed on a silver or gold tooth. When you knocked his tooth out, you broke the object that the akuma was in." She smiled, continuing, "at least you figured out what was going on with that Lucky Charm."

Cat Noir looked back at the young former supervillain, who looked quite confused. Ladybug's restoration powers had restored the silver tooth to the lad's mouth, and Cat Noir could barely see it as the boy's mouth lay agape. Claude looked back at the heroes.

"What happened?" asked the now diminutive lad.

"You were akumatized by Hawk Moth. Don't worry, we took care of it" Cat Noir responded. He steered the young man over to waiting authorities, who would no doubt, as usual, question the young fellow about Hawk Moth.

Ladybug raised her fist for the customary victory fist-bump, but Cat Noir lunged in and wrapped her in a fierce hug. He held it for several seconds.

"I was worried about you for a while there, when I couldn't get ahold of you. I was afraid something had happened." He didn't add that his emotional state had already been frayed with concern for Marinette. He continued, "I'm just glad you're okay, Bugaboo." He squeezed her again, nuzzling his cheek against her hair. He thought of how nice it smelled. It seemed…familiar?

Cat Noir's eye's bolted open. He knew that smell. Marinette's hair had smelled the very same earlier that day, when he had fallen on her. He quickly terminated the hug and stood back, just staring at her. She didn't see his stunned expression; she was looking around at the restored city with a smile.

"You were great today, Kitty" she said, continuing to look around.

"I have to go!" Cat Noir exclaimed suddenly. He spun around and took off.  
"Wait! Cat Noir?" Ladybug called after him. She had a perplexed look. She hadn't heard his Miraculous chirp. Was something wrong with him? She continued to stare, until her own Miraculous signaled her impending transformation. She vaulted off to the roof tops. Her parents would be worried about her anyway. She needed to work on a story to tell them.

Adrien paced his room incessantly, as Plagg scarfed down yet another wedge of Camembert. His eyes darted around the room, as if the answer to the question that plagued him might be hidden among video game disks and sports posters. Plagg polished off his morsel and buzzed over.

"Do you really think that girl from school could be Ladybug?" he asked inquisitively.

Adrien continued pacing. _Marinette? Is that even possible? She's so clumsy, and shy, and…Ladybug is so confident, and strong, graceful. There's no way!_ Still he began to piece together a puzzle. He ran back in to save Marinette, who, he knew with stark confidence, was not in that building when he searched it. He _knew_ it. Looking for her was the most serious and focused action he'd ever undertaken. Did she run off to transform? Ladybug did call him while he looked for Marinette. He thought of how he came out, dejected. He then transformed and fought Arson; Ladybug was nowhere to be found. Was she back in the school, staging her newsworthy rescue? He started to get angry. He had been so worried about her, and had risked his life to look for her.

Plagg saw his master's changing expressions. "Don't forget Adrien, you've had to run off your fair share to transform. How else can you do it?" Adrien wanted to argue with that, but he knew he couldn't. The kwami was right. He still couldn't believe it. He had always considered how elated he would feel to finally discover the identity of his love, but now, he just felt confused. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Marinette. On the contrary; she was a great person, a thoughtful friend. It was just so shocking; he hadn't been able to prepare for the revelation. She didn't even know that he knew!

"I don't know, Plagg, but I have to find out if I'm right."

"Why don't you just ask her?" Plagg responded.

Adrien couldn't do that. She would lie anyway; it's what she was supposed to do. He could tell her that he was Cat Noir to get it out of her, but what if, somehow, he was wrong? He would have exposed himself. He knew one thing. He wouldn't be able to rest until he knew the truth.


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien sat in class, trying to focus. The teacher was talking about something or another, but Adrien heard none of it. His gaze, and his thoughts, were locked on to the back of the dark head in front of him. He had been stewing all morning, and had hardly paid attention to anyone. He just couldn't get his mind around the possibility-the seemingly _very likely_ possibility-that Marinette might be his beloved bug. In fact, he had avoided everyone so far. The few conversations directed at him had been glanced off with a dismissive grunt. He was thoroughly captive to his thoughts. Presently, he was tuned out of Ms. Mendeliev's class. Unfortunately, the cantankerous teacher could tell, and she wasn't having it.

"Adrien, would you like to tell us the moles of sodium present in this particular compound, since you seem so deep in thought?"

Adrien snapped back to reality, and immediately noticed all eyes were turned on him, including Marinette. "Uh, um, moles…" He trailed off.

"Could you come back to the real world, unless you'd love to share whatever fascinating subject you are pondering?" she asked condescendingly.

"I'm sorry, Miss" he replied, with humiliation. He noticed snickers from several classmates, but Marinette was looking at him sadly. He only assumed she didn't want him to be embarrassed. She was great like that. How very, _Ladybug_ of her.

Class went by fast enough, though even after his dressing down, he still had no idea what they had discussed. He wasn't sure what to do with Marinette. He was still stunned. He didn't even know what to say to her. The only thing he could think of was blurting out the obvious question, and he knew that was out of the question.

For the rest of the day, he avoided any interaction with her. Rather, he secretly watched her, hanging just out of obvious range. He didn't dare talk to her in any way. He just wouldn't know what to do, or how to act. He watched her intently, as if he would see some sign to confirm his suspicions. Marinette went on, seemingly unawares, skillfully betraying no hint. Or, he thought, was there nothing to hide? That smell had been unmistakable, and all the pieces seemed to fit. He didn't even know how he felt about it. He was neither upset nor relieved. He assumed when they revealed their identities to each other, it would be planned, and he would be prepared. He never considered that he may find out by sheer accident. He was just unready. He was also uncertain. He needed irrevocable truth.

Marinette was concerned for Adrien. He had been zoned out all day, and he usually always had command of any question a teacher threw at him. He also had avoided her most of the day, which certainly was not in keeping with his personable nature. Adrien had hardly acknowledged her or anyone else in their circle of friends, but she had noticed that he had been watching her from a distance with what seemed to be suspicion, averting his eyes if she happened to spot him. Had she done something wrong, she wondered? Near the middle of the day, she finally decided to see what was going on.

"Adrien, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked.

Adrien's blood ran cold. He turned to see Marinette, but through his mind flashed only one word.

 _Ladybug._

He stood there, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Normally it was Marinette that panicked when they met, but she seemed so calm compared to how he now felt.

"Adrien, are you okay? You've been really weird today, distant. Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

Adrien suddenly panicked. He had to get out of there, before he said something stupid. "Um hey, sorry, I have to go! I have the thing!" He couldn't believe how he sounded; a blathering fool instead of his normal calm, confident self. _What is wrong with me,_ he thought to himself. "Sorry!" he yelled over his shoulder as he trotted away quickly. Marinette stood in his wake flabbergasted. Adrien had never blown her off like that.

The rest of the day continued in kind. Adrien even began talking to his other friends more, but anytime Marinette walked up, he excused himself or had "something to do" or just flat walked off. Marinette was near tears at the end of the day, and Alya came to comfort her.

"Girl, what is going on? You look like you're going to cry" she said.

This prompted actual tears and a blubbering, sobbing explanation from Marinette.

"Adrien is mad at me! He hates me! He won't even talk to me. What did I do?!" She continued on her now unleashed bawling fit.

Alya scoffed. "Adrien isn't mad at you! Adrien doesn't even know how to be mad!" she comforted. "Why do you think that?"

Marinette looked up, her eyes now fully red and puffy. "I told you. He won't talk to me. He keeps avoiding me. _Only_ me. He talks to everyone else."

"That's ridiculous. What could you possibly do to make anyone mad at you?" Alya's subtle attempt at flattery went unacknowledged by Marinette.

"Well he is, and I hate it!" She buried her head back in her hands and continued sobbing.

Alya stood up. "You know what, I'll just take care of this!" She turned to walk away, looking back to remark, "I'll just go ask him what's up!"

Marinette shot up in a panic. "No, no! Don't do that! It'll just make it worse! Please, Alya."

Alya looked at her friend's begging expression. "Fine" she relented. "I won't. But if it's not better by tomorrow, I will" she warned.

The school day ended and everyone departed for home or whatever extracurricular activities they had that day. Adrien hung around for a fencing lesson, but his mind was cloudy. He simply couldn't focus on what he was doing. It was rare for him to not know what to do, but this was one of those rare times. The lesson came and went, nearly without him even noticing. He usually tried to coax his bodyguard into some sort of conversation, which was generally futile, but today he made no such attempt. He merely stared out the car window, trying to decide. Should he dig deeper and confirm his suspicions, or should he just leave well enough alone? He did know the rules, after all. Unfortunately, he didn't know what would happen if he broke them.

Marinette was beside herself. Despite Alya's insistence to the contrary, she was convinced Adrien was angry with her, and worse, she didn't even know why. True, Adrien had thought for a while that she was probably dead in the fire, and she certainly knew that could take a toll on someone, but why would he be angry or standoffish? She had hardly eaten or talked through dinner with her parents, and had consigned herself to her room immediately after. The only contact she had with her parents after dinner was a subdued acknowledgement when her mother reminded her that she had to watch Manon Chamack for a bit that evening. She had convinced herself that Adrien's discontent had to be due to what happened in the school building. She didn't know why, but he had to be angry at her because he couldn't find her. She simply had no other explanation. Tikki tried to calm her master, with little success.

"Marinette, you don't even know if he's angry at you! You're getting worked up over nothing! Just talk to him and ask him what's wrong!"

"I can't do that Tikki! I can't even hardly talk to him on a good day. What if he yells at me, or just stomps off? I couldn't deal with that!" Marinette buried her head in her hands again.

Tikki tried again. "Marinette, I think you are getting worked up over nothing. You don't know that he is mad at you, but you won't even go talk to him! You need to get ahold of yourself!" She immediately knew that, while well intentioned, that last statement might not come off the way she meant. Marinette reacted precisely the way Tikki worried she would.

"Tikki, I wish you'd stop telling me I'm stupid and wrong about this. That isn't making me feel any better. I am upset, and I just want to be upset, okay?"

Tikki rushed to recover. "No, Marinette. I don't think you're being stupid. It wasn't supposed to come out that way."

"But you still think I'm wrong. I noticed you left that out." Marinette said spitefully.

Tikki's irritation was rising, mirroring Marinette's. She knew Marinette was upset, but she was just trying to help, and didn't appreciate the attitude as payment. Still, she tried to disarm the situation.

"Marinette, I'm sorry. I just want you to feel better."

Marinette suddenly perked up. "I know! I know what to do!" She spun to look at Tikki. "I have to tell him!"

Tikki was confused. "Tell him what?"

"Tell him why I wasn't there. Tell him that I'm Ladybug, and that I had do it to transform, and that I had to come back because I realized I'd made a mistake. All of it! He wouldn't be mad then. Surely he'd understand."

Tikki's eyes bulged at that suggestion. "No Marinette! You can't do that! It's against the rules! Even if he is upset with you, you don't know that's the reason!" She was fully panicked now.

Marinette responded, "It has to be Tikki. There is no other explanation!"

Tikki had heard enough. She loved Marinette, and she loved Marinette being Ladybug, and didn't want her to foolishly jeopardize it.

"Marinette, listen to me. You cannot do this. You need to get ahold of yourself. If you tell Adrien, you don't know what will happen. What if you can't be Ladybug anymore?"

"Tikki, this is so import-"

"NO Marinette. Paris needs you. You need to get a grip. You can't throw it away over some boy!"

"Adrien is not some boy!" Marinette could feel her temperature rising quickly. "He's…he's…Adrien! You just don't understand!"

Tikki had had enough. "No, you don't understand! You are not going to do this. It's a stupid thing to do. Stop."

Marinette was fuming, and she could tell Tikki was angry also. She never spoke to her so sharply.

"Tikki, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I-"

Tikki cut her off. "Well we need to talk about this until you come to your senses. You cannot do this. Adrien is not more important than Ladybug. You have to understand that."

Marinette was through. "Tikki I warned you. I'm not in the mood for this." She reached for her earrings.

"Marinette, wait-"

Marinette removed her Miraculous. Tikki vanished, just as she had the first day, when Marinette had removed them after deciding she wasn't up to being Ladybug. She placed them in the box and roughly set it in her vanity drawer, slamming it shut a little harder than she should. She spun in her chair, facing the wall with her hands clenched together. She felt slightly guilty, but she just needed a moment. The situation had gotten out of hand. She believed in her plan, and didn't want anyone muddying it up with reason. Besides, they both would do well to spend a little time apart. She would let Tikki out in a bit when they had both cooled down. She went to work on some design projects, trying to distract her mind from Adrien and the spat with Tikki.

"Marinette!" The sound of Manon's excited voice was unmistakable. "Marinette!" She came bounding up the stairs into her babysitter's room. "Marinette! Yay! I want to play with you!"

Marinette smiled warily. She was glad Manon was so happy to see her, but just hearing her overwhelming energy made her tired. They hadn't even started playing yet.

Marinette looked at the little girl. "Where is your mommy, Manon?"

"She's downstairs, talking to your mommy. Can we play with your dolls?" she asked.

Marinette rose to head for the stairs. She needed to ask Mrs. Chamack if Manon had eaten, and whether she had any special instructions. "Sure Manon, when I get back. Hang on a sec."

"Ok! I'll get the dolls!" Manon called after her. She ran to the shelf where the dolls sat. She looked them over. All were present, except for the Evillistrator. She began rifling around the room, looking for the doll. She perused shelves and cubbyholes, and yanked open drawers, slamming them unceremoniously shut when she didn't find the doll. She jerked open the top left drawer, and her eyes were drawn to a small wooden box. It had a curious shape, and had interesting intricate carvings on it. She gripped the box to open it, but heard the stairs creak as Marinette ascended. Panicked, she dropped the box in her backpack and moved away from the vanity, pushing the drawer shut with her behind.

Marinette rose through the entry. "Ready to play now, Manon?"

"Yes! Let's play!" the little girl responded.

Marinette walked to her closet. "Hang on, the Evillistrator is in here. I had to wash him after you spilled juice on him, and he got stuck in the laundry."

Manon hadn't thought to look in there.

It didn't take long playing for Manon to forget entirely about the box. After a rousing game of Ladybug beats the bag guys, Mrs. Chamack returned to collect her daughter.

"Thank you so much for looking after her for a bit Marinette" she said.

"Oh it's no problem Mrs. Chamack. Happy to do it" Marinette replied. "We had fun, didn't we Manon?"

"Yeah!" Manon replied enthusiastically.

The Chamacks bid goodbye and left the bakery. Marinette returned upstairs. She was feeling a bit guilty of how she had treated Tikki. The kwami was probably angrier now, after what had happened, but Marinette decided Tikki's anger was probably justified. She had locked her in a box, after all. Marinette would let her out and apologize. Tikki was generally very understanding. Besides, she had been right. Marinette's idea to tell Adrien was foolhardy, and she would never have done it. She had simply succumbed to hysteria for a brief moment.

Marinette entered her room and immediately set a course for the vanity. She reached down and opened the drawer, and her blood ran cold. She swiped through the contents of the drawer, confident she would uncover what she sought. She looked through once, twice, and a third time. Still, she couldn't find the box. Now, she was fully panicked. She looked behind and underneath the vanity, but still no box. She scoured every drawer.

The Miraculous, and Tikki, were gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Manon walked home with her mother. She was contemplating what to do about the article she had accidentally taken from Marinette. She hadn't meant to steal it, but in her panic, had dropped it in the bag, lest Marinette become angry at her for messing with it. In all reality, she didn't know if Marinette would have even been upset, but Manon had a tendency to mess with things unnecessarily and was frequently chastised for it. Now, she couldn't decide whether or not to tell her mother for the same reason, and she knew that every minute she waited, the angrier her mother would be with her for not telling her sooner. She decided perhaps she would just wait until the next time she saw Marinette. The box had been in her drawer, after all, so how soon would her babysitter even realize it was gone? Besides, curiosity was killing her. She knew it was some sort of box or container, and she couldn't wait to see what interesting item might be inside. In the safety of her room, she thought, she would satisfy the urge.

Marinette retched into her toilet. Abject terror and anxiety had washed over her, and her body had responded in the most unpleasant way. Tears streamed down her face, partly from the exertion, but mostly from the horror and guilt she felt. She knew Tikki hadn't left; she had be relegated to the Miraculous, which were secured within the box. No, someone, or something, had taken the box from her. She had fervently tried to call Mrs. Chamack, but the phone had rang through to voicemail. If the little girl did have the box, what would happen when she opened it? Her secret would be out, and no doubt there would be some sort of consequence. She feared the worst; perhaps Master Fu would take the Miraculous from her.

All of this was her fault. Marinette knew she would never have told Adrien. She was just extremely upset, and was reaching for any sort of plan. Marinette was well aware that she tended to let her emotions get out of hand from time to time. Tikki was exactly right to say what she did, and Marinette had grossly over-reacted. She couldn't believe she had put her kwami in danger over a stupid plan she never would have done in the first place. She was the one who had reacted improperly. She was the one who took her earrings off. She was why Tikki was gone. Marinette hated herself. She longed to sneak out and try to find her, though where she wasn't sure. She knew she had to do something, but she didn't even know which way to run. She tore her room apart again and again, hoping it had simply fallen somewhere, or that she had misremembered where it was. Still, Marinette didn't find it. She leapt up and rushed downstairs. Her parents were engrossed in a television program and never even noticed her dart behind them. Marinette burst out into the street in her pajamas and slippers and headed into the night.

"Tikki, I'm so sorry. Please be okay."

A circle of while moonlight grew in the middle of the floor as machinery whirred in the background. Hawk Moth stared silently out the growing expanse, feeling with his sinister sixth sense. A single form was filling his mind's eye. It was a uniquely troubled soul. The angst was so powerful and pervasive. Still, there was a strange barrier of sorts around this form. He could feel the negativity, but for some reason the details eluded him, behind the fog and just out of his reach. Nonetheless, he had been given a wonderful surprise. He had only retreated to his lair to fume over his most recent failure, and here a uniquely troubled soul had been delivered to him. He closed his eyes, feeling and probing as much as he could. This one seemed…different. He couldn't quite tell from this vantage point. He needed his akuma to fully appreciate this one.

"Something precious has been lost. Either a priceless item or a dear friend it seems. The anguish is so…powerful. This may be just the victim I've been waiting for to complete my plan. Such a fertile host for my little akuma." He folded his hands as a rush of darkness enveloped the fluttering butterfly within. "Fly my little akuma, and take control of this tortured soul!"

Manon and her mother arrived and home and Nadja attempted to keep her daughter on task regarding her nightly routine.

"Manon, put your bag away and get in there to brush your teeth" her mother advised for the umpteenth time.

Manon half complied, coming to the bathroom with her bag in tow. Her mother sighed in exasperation. Soon, Manon had donned her pajamas and had finally brushed her teeth. She hugged her mother.

"Goodnight Mommy. I love you!"

Manon's mother leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead, flicked off the light, and retreated to the living room. Manon listened for the door to click shut. She allowed a few more seconds, and then leapt out of bed. She snatched a flashlight from her drawer pulled the small box out of her bag. After again giving a careful glance to the door, she pulled the box from the backpack and flipped the light on. She grasped the lid off the box and pulled it upward. Suddenly, there was a pink flash. Manon started and dropped the light, which shut off when it hit the floor. The pink flash stopped nearly in front of the little girl's face.

"Marinette, I know you're upset, but don't you think that-" She paused and peered around, confused. "Why is it dark in-" She paused when a bright light pierced the darkness. "What is going on?"

Manon had recovered the light and was pointing it at the small, strange creature in front of her. She would have thought it was a bug, except for the fact that it was looking at her with two large, normalish eyes and had spoken…to Marinette?

"What are you?" the little girl asked nervously. She dropped the light slightly. With the beam not shining directly in her eyes, Tikki looked at whom was speaking, and rather than Marinette, saw a much smaller person holding a pig shaped toy flashlight. She recognized that small person.  
"Manon?" she asked.

"How do you know my name?" the little girl responded.

Tikki's expression went from confusion to obvious concern. "Oh no. This is not good."

Marinette ran down a rough stone street. She hadn't thought of putting on proper shoes, and she was starting to feel it. That was secondary, however, to her concern for Tikki. She had burst out into the street, looking desperately for any sign of Nadja or Manon. She immediately regretted spending so much time looking in her room. Manon would surely be home by now, and if she had the Miraculous, she may have already discovered Tikki. She had to get to Manon's house. She looked this way and that, deciding where to go and what to do, when she caught a glimpse of movement several feet above the ground. She focused on it and gasped as it came into view.

It was an akuma.

She stared at it futilely. Now, not only did she have to find her Miraculous, but she also would have to battle another villain when she found them. She felt her panic grow, and the small insect fluttered toward her. Marinette looked around, desperately trying to determine where the little creature was headed, but there was no one around. Her panic turned to outright horror. It was coming for her! She fought to control herself, but she kept thinking of the stakes: here was an akuma coming for her, and she didn't even have her powers with which to capture it. If she was changed, there would be no stopping her, and she might even betray herself to Hawk Moth. All of these considerations only served to stoke her fear, which in turn brought the little insect closer. There was only one thing she could think to do. Marinette ran.

Manon stared with wide eyes at Tikki as she hurriedly finished her abbreviated, simplified version of what she was. She hadn't really wanted to tell, but she figured there was no way around it. Tikki tried to ensure she only told Manon as much as she needed to know, which was still far too much. She considered trying to convince Manon she was some sort of pet, but she had definitely been caught talking and flying, and there were the earrings right there in the box. She had, after all, burst out her box and opened her mouth, so she had no one to blame but herself. Besides, she needed the child to help her get the Miraculous back to Marinette.

"So, wait. Marinette is Ladybug? Are you serious?" Manon asked with wonderment.

"Yes, Manon, but remember. You cannot tell anyone. Ever. Do you understand, Manon?"

Manon was still staring in awe, with a massive grin on her face. "Wow! This is amazing!" she said.

"Manon, focus. Secret, right? Do you get it?" Tikki asked sternly.

The little girl was still grinning widely. It was concerning Tikki. She feared she had made a mistake in telling her, but she didn't know any other way. Since they weren't being worn, she was tied to the earrings. She needed to get them back to Marinette. It was the only way. "Manon, listen to me. You have to get me back to Marinette soon in case something happens. And you can't say anything about this to anyone. Promise me, Manon."

"I promise. I won't tell" Manon replied sheepishly.

Manon was ready to run out the door on an adventure, but Tikki thought it preferable to try to enlist Mrs. Chamack's assistance first. It would certainly raise suspicions if Manon showed up unaccompanied. The two had settled on telling her mother that she had accidentally taken something of Marinette's, and hoped she'd be concerned enough to take it back tonight. Unfortunately, her mother groaned and told Manon to return to bed, without opening her eyes. They would deal with it in the morning, she insisted. That was that; Tikki knew what they had to do. Back in the girl's room, she gave Manon a nod.

"What happens now?" Manon asked.

Tikki responded, "If you don't close the box, I'll stay out, but I can't get too far." She paused pensively, then continued, "Maybe I better just go back in and you close the box. We can't risk losing those earrings."

Manon held out the box, and in a flash Tikki disappeared. Manon clamped the box shut, and dropped it in her bag, securing the zipper. As Tikki disappeared, she said to herself one last time, "Please Manon, don't mess this up."

Adrien decided something must be done. He hadn't talked to Marinette all day and just about couldn't stand it. It was time to talk to her. It was night, and he didn't know what her parents would say about a boy calling on her at such an hour, but if they would let him talk to her, he would try. He'd probably just chalk it up to some excuse about a school project, or something similarly important. He had decided on a more subtle approach. Rather than asking her outright, he would probe her to see how she responded to certain things. He could definitely justify asking her about her experience while "trapped", since he had risked his life to save her. Perhaps she would betray a detail that would make him certain either way. Getting out of his house wouldn't be a problem. He had that down. He rose quickly.

"Plagg, claws out!"

Marinette didn't even know to where she was running. She just kept going. She didn't know if you could outrun an akuma, but she was certainly going to try. She had hardly noticed the few passersby staring at the strange girl barreling down the street in a panic. A few had called out to see if she was okay, but she didn't even hear. The fatigue was wearing on her, in spite of the adrenaline, and she began looking frantically for somewhere to hide. Marinette quickly realized she was very near her own home. She headed toward it instinctively. She didn't dare look back at the akuma. She just had to get somewhere safe.

Cat Noir was leaping around the city, looking out for the sight of Marinette Dupain-Cheng's balcony. He had talked to the girl as Cat Noir many times, and by now knew how to find her. This was certainly a much faster form of transportation. He landed on a nearby rooftop and looked toward her room. To his joy, her lights were still on. He suddenly felt nervous. He might be about to talk to the real Ladybug, in person, without the mask. He prepared to vault down on the street to transform back to Adrien, when unusual movement caught his eye. Down the street, someone was running for dear life. He peered intently, trying to ascertain what was happening. Soon, he realized the panicked individual was none other than Marinette herself. She looked absolutely petrified, and was wearing her pajamas and house slippers. Something was definitely going on. Whatever it was, Adrien and his questions would have to wait. Cat Noir was what she needed now. He headed for the street.

Manon and the Miraculous were on the way to Marinette's. Sneaking out hadn't been difficult; Mrs. Chamack was now fast asleep. Manon would pull out the box and free Tikki if she needed to know where to go. Eventually, to Tikki's chagrin, they had decided it would be easier if Manon simply concealed the opened box and Tikki remained free and hidden in her pocket. They weaved through the streets, careful to avoid concerned adults who might wonder what a young tot was doing wandering the streets at night. Finally they were approaching Marinette's street. Tikki and Manon had already rehearsed what she would say to Marinette's parents. Manon was quite thrilled with the solo adventure, but Tikki was a nervous wreck. Soon, at least, she and the Miraculous would be safely in Marinette's possession again. She considered how lucky it was that no one had been akumatized. The unlikely duo popped out from a side street and turned to face the bakery as Tikki beckoned her to stop for one more last minute review of the script for Marinette's parents. She was cut off by Manon.

"Hey, is that Marinette?" the little girl asked with an outstretched finger. The two looked toward the pajama-clad from running away from them down the street.

Marinette was so close, yet she had no idea what home would do for her. The akuma would get her as soon as she stopped. She made no attempt to quell the panic any longer. Her lungs were burning from the effort, and she ran doubled over from the pain. Her legs were rubbery and she knew she was slowing down. She didn't dare stop. She continued on. Suddenly, her foot struck something, and the momentum of her running carried her forward. She spilled on to the ground with a cry of dismay. It was over now. Marinette looked up toward her house, and then to the street. She recognized a familiar form headed toward her. She turned to face the little winged demon. It was right on her; she apparently didn't have the lead she had hoped. Her arms went over her face instinctively to shield her, but the little creature instead headed for the bag on her hip that usually held Tikki. Marinette inhaled sharply as it dove into the bag and a strange sensation swept over. Her vision blurred slightly, and an ominous and strangely familiar voice crackled in to her head.

Hawk Moth was shocked by the feeling he got from his latest victim. There was an immense amount of strength and resistance. He hadn't been pushed back against with this amount of vigor since being repelled by Chloe Bourgeois, and that was nothing compared to this one. This girl was powerful, just powerful enough to finally bring down Ladybug and Cat Noir. He couldn't let her reject him as Chloe had. He just had to break through first.

Cat Noir rushed toward the girl, becoming more and more concerned when he got close enough to see the horror on her face. He was only a few yards away when Marinette tripped and fell to the ground. He rushed to her side and placed his arms on her shoulders to help her up, but she didn't respond. Her head was turned to the ground and her eyes closed tight.

Marinette's entire body was tense as she resisted the predations being spoken into her mind. The urge to succumb was terrible and powerful, but she had to resist. She didn't even notice the arms now clutching her shoulders until a few seconds after. She had pushed back forcibly against the voice in her head, and it had reeled just long enough for her to open her eyes to face this person. She was very surprised to see her faithful partner, Cat Noir. Part of her thought it was a dream or hallucination, until he spoke.

"Marinette, are you okay? What is wrong?" he asked with concern. He sounded strangely distant and muffled.

She reached up with one hand and touched his cheek. "Cat Noir, please help m-help me. I'm so scared."

"Why? What are you scared of Marinette? Let me help you!"

She clamped her eyes shut again as the voice invaded again. She pushed back as hard as she could. She was so tired. She was tired from running, and she was tired emotionally. She repulsed the voice again, and looked at her partner. "Please run, Cat. I don't want to hurt you. You won't be able to win. I can't-nothing can happen to you. Please, get away. Please. Please…" She trailed off and her head turned to the ground. She slowly rose to her feet, her head still turned downward.

Manon and Tikki and taken off down the street, trying to catch Marinette. They saw her topple, and at the same time Tikki had seen the akuma chasing her. She let out a squeal of horror as it crept closer and closer, seemingly in slow motion. Manon ground to a halt, and the two stood transfixed, viewing the spectacle. Tikki was shocked to see Cat Noir run up to her side, and saw Marinette speak to him, wondering what was being said. Then, she saw her friend fade. She stood up, but it wasn't the Marinette she knew. The movements were different. It had happened; she had completely failed her Master.

Tikki finally spoke with an icy voice. "Manon, we have to run. We have to get away from here."

Cat Noir dropped his grip and stepped back slowly. It finally made sense. He knew what was happening. He just couldn't believe it had happened to Marinette. He looked at the form standing before him with dismay. He had come here to satisfy his suspicion of Ladybug's identity, and never in his life had he hoped so badly that he was wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

Tikki lead Manon through yet another maze of streets. Their pace had slowed somewhat. Tikki knew that despite the situation, they likely had some respite. Whatever Marinette ended up being would be distracted by Cat Noir, and there was no reason to believe they had been seen. Still, there was a risk they may eventually share the same destination, so in spite of Manon's desire to rest, they continued on.

"Tikki, where are we going?" Manon asked again.

"We are going to the only person who can help us" Tikki replied. The duo soldiered on under Tikki's direction, until they arrived at an unassuming building. Tikki directed Manon to the proper floor, then to the right door. They both stood in front of it, and Tikki gestured for Manon to knock. She obliged, and after a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a similarly unassuming man in his nightgown. He blinked several times, the confusion on his face deepening into grave concern. Without a word, he drug Manon in, while Tikki rested on her shoulder.

"Tikki, what has happened?" the strange man asked in alarm.

"It's Marinette. She's been akumatized!" Tikki replied. Her voice, strong and determined before, now cracked with emotion.

"And who is this?" the man asked, gesturing to Manon. Despite the strangeness, his warm comforting demeanor helped put her at ease. Even in his concern, he seemed fatherly and safe.

"I'm Manon!" the girl said brightly.

"I'm sorry Master" Tikki exclaimed. "Manon, this is Master Fu".

Manon looked the man up and down. While he certainly seemed nice, she could hardly figure out what was "masterly" of him. He was a short, pleasant looking man, who walked slowly with a limp. Master Fu saw the doubt on her face and chuckled.

"Not everything is as it appears. It is nice to meet you Manon. This is an unfortunate situation, but we are lucky. You are here, which means you are safe from Hawk Moth."

Tikki nodded understandably. In all of the fear, she hadn't considered that point. At least the situation could be worse. Tikki dutifully relayed all of the day's events to Master Fu, who listened intently, his face unchanging from his pleasant subtle smile. Manon was not as reserved; her eyes widened as Tikki explained Ladybug's (and Marinette's) exploits that day. It was a story better than any she had been read at bedtime. No one thought it necessary at this point to shield her from this information. She had learned plenty already anyway.

Tikki finished the saga. Master Fu leaned back, thinking intently. There was a long pause as he stared off pensively. Manon thought that it felt like ages. Finally, he spoke.

"Now we need a plan".

Hawk Moth was in. He had been impressed by the fortitude of the girl; had she not been so weak when he found her, he had no doubt she would have resisted her. Marinette's force of will, while now defeated, was awe-inspiring. He would not waste this chance. He had considered giving her a power related to her misery, but this required a special capability. Hawk Moth only hoped he could stay in control of such a powerful force.

"Dystopia, I am Hawk Moth. Your sadness and power is unlike anything I have ever felt. I am giving you a special power, one which will give you the ability to do whatever it takes to find what you long for. You will have every power I've ever given my supervillains. All I ask in return is a simple favor. You will deliver the Miraculous to me."

Dystopia grinned as she sinisterly replied. "Of course, Hawk Moth".

There was an unusual situation inside Marinette's mind. She knew she was Dystopia, but also knew she was Marinette _and_ Ladybug. She had the urge to say so right then and there, but something in the still good part of her mind stopped her. It was like there was a fortress within her; surrounded, incapable of offense, but yet capable of a desperate defense. She couldn't resist the urges of Hawk Moth or her villain self, but she knew who she was and she was at least able to know not to betray her secret, at least for now. How long that would last, she didn't know. In the meantime, she was powerless to stop herself from being a villain and fighting her former partner who stood in front of her.

Cat Noir stared at Marinette. He watched as a purple haze flooded over her. Once it subsided, her familiar form was replaced with a person of the same size, but who was hidden under a black, hooded cloak. Her face was shrouded in darkness. She looked up slightly, and the surrounding street lights only revealed her mouth, which was turned in a frown.

"Marinette, can you hear me? It's Cat Noir. Marinette?" He tilted his head to see her face better. There was a pause that seemed like an eternity as he waited for the cloaked form to answer or move. Finally, she responded. It was Marinette's voice, but it was broken and distorted.

"Don't call me Marinette. Call me Dystopia".

Cat Noir responded, "Marinette, I know you can fight it. You have to try". Marinette did not respond again. Again, Cat Noir waited. She seemed to reach into something under her cloak. She pulled out the mystery item and held it up to her face, seeming to look at it intently. She looked up slightly, her face still obscured by her hood. This time, her mouth was turned up in a sly grin.

"I told you not to call me that". She peered at him for a while longer, as he stood confused, uncertain of what to do. Was she reconsidering being a villain?

Cat Noir watched as she looked down again, and brought the mystery item to her face. There was a faint light as the object touched and spread over her face. When she looked up, he could see the face of Marinette, albeit paler. She had a familiar mask over her eyes, one which Cat Noir couldn't quite place, and her pink lips were now colored purple. She slowly raised her arm, her open palm facing him.

"You know what I want. Why don't you make this easy and give it to me?" Dystopia said.

Cat Noir didn't answer. He knew it was time to fight or flee, but he couldn't help watching her. What was she doing? What would she do? After several seconds, he replied.

"You know I can't do that".

Dystopia chuckled. In a second, a blast of wind seeming came from nowhere, barreling in to Cat Noir and sending him flying. He skidded to a stop several hundred feet away.

"You remember Stormy Weather, of course?" Dystopia said tauntingly. She swung her hand again, which suddenly held Stormy Weather's parasol, and a bolt of lightning barely missed Cat Noir, coming close enough to singe his hair. Finally, he jolted in to action, falling back to a nearby rooftop.

The blast of wind and crash of lightning had awoken nearby Parisians, and lights were flickering on all around as people looked out their windows to see what was happening. No matter his friendship with Marinette, he had to keep these people safe. She wasn't under her own control. She was Hawk Moth's, at least for now. Several people were stepping out on the street, looking skyward for the storm they thought to be upon them. Few took any notice of the cloaked figure in the center of the street, until one man walked over to her inquisitively.

"Miss, are you okay?"

The mysterious figure reached in to her cloak, and placed her hands to her face again. Again, Cat Noir saw the faint flash of light. He knew he should yell a warning, but he was riveted in place, afraid of what might happen. The man was now only a step away, and Cat Noir was finally able to yell out, but it was too late. Dystopia lashed out, grabbing his head and pulling him. In the scuffle, her hood fell, and Cat Noir could see the gray skin, pink mask, and black lipstick of Zombizou, but again on Marinette's face. She planted a kiss directly on the man's forehead and let him go. He stumbled backwards in confusion, a black lip print on his head.

Dystopia leapt skyward, landing on a distant rooftop. She shouted to Cat Noir, "Can't let this be too easy for you!" and leapt away.

Cat Noir looked back to the street in horror. The man was now running about, infecting those nearby with Zombizou's kisses at an alarming rate. Now he had to decide: contain this situation, or chase Dystopia? An even more urgent question nagged him:

If Marinette was Ladybug, how could he possibly defeat her?

Master Fu and Tikki had been brainstorming, while Manon listened reverently. The two had been conferring about whom they could trust. Soon Tikki's eyes lit up with an idea.

"Master, I have a plan, but we need to deliver a Miraculous" she said.

"What do you need, Tikki?" Master Fu replied.

She replied, "The Fox sir. I know what we can do. Here's my plan, we take it to-". Master Fu cut her off.

"Don't tell me too much, Tikki. There's been so much revealed already. The less we all know, the better. I trust you. You do what you think is right, and I'll stay here with the other Miraculous" he declared.

"Master, don't you think you should hide? Marinette does know where you live after all. What if he brings Hawk Moth here?" she asked.

Master Fu thought for a moment and agreed. "I will leave and hide. If you need me I'll be-". This time Tikki cut him off. "Master, maybe it's better if we don't know". The old man nodded in agreement, and then finished, "-close." He grabbed the box and opened it, and Tikki motioned for Manon to grab the Fox pendant. Once the item was secured, the trio looked at each other again.

"Good luck to both of you. I'm sure this will work out" Master Fu said.

"Good luck, Master" Tikki responded. She wasn't so sure. She led Manon out into the night yet again. Now, it was off to the Cesaire house.

Dystopia sprang from roof top to roof top, sewing discord wherever she could. The powers of Dark Cupid turned lovers enjoying a midnight stroll at the Eiffel Tower into squabbling enemies, and Backwarder set taxis and buses careening in reverse. She had to sew enough destruction to loose Cat Noir and distract him while she found the Ladybug Miraculous. Now, she was headed to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. The desire to find the Miraculous was strong; both for the villain Dystopia and Marinette. Still, she didn't betray her identity. The little part of Marinette in her held strong. She burst through the bakery door with a powerful kick, looking around with satisfaction at the dark but familiar room. She heard a crash upstairs as her startled parents leapt out of bed. She reached in her bag and withdrew another mask. She held her to her face, this time turning it the green hue of Befana. She looked up just in time to see her father step around the door cautiously with a large rolling pin in hand, her frightened mother hiding behind him.

"Who's there?" he bellowed. "What do you want?"

Dystopia smirked at him. "Mom and Dad. You've always been there to help me. I'm just here for a little more help." She raised her hand revealing Befana's gun, pointing it at them.

"Marinette, is that you?" her father asked, bewildered.

"Close, but now I have a new name. You can call me Dystopia" she said.

Her mother whimpered fearfully, "Not Marinette!"

"Marinette, let us help you!" her father cried.

She replied, "Oh you will help me. I need two loyal fairies, just like you!" Before they could protest further, she squeezed the trigger twice and reduced them to voiceless fairies. They stood before her obediently. "I am looking for the Ladybug Miraculous, and you will help me find it. Let's go." With that she turned and walked out, her minions hovering silently behind her.


End file.
